According to Wired News, the Segway Human Transporter is having trouble getting a foothold in Europe. They write that since Segway hasn’t sought approval for the scooter in any European countries yet that they’re not legal to use there since most countries there have strict laws about what kinds of vehicles can be used in public sidewalks and streets that would prohibit its use otherwise:
Not surprisingly, Segway is not selling directly to consumers in Europe. Still, all things considered, it’s probably wise that Segway didn’t seek approval in the European Union. Under current regulations, the gyroscope-driven scooter would have been classified as a moped even though, according to van Geenhuizen, it doesn’t meet basic technical requirements for such a vehicle. Among other things, the Segway doesn’t have lights or brakes, which are mandatory on a moped. “No doubt it would have failed testing,” he said. But Nicola Dallatana, Segway’s director of regulatory affairs for Europe, is pushing for a change in the classification system. Just as happened stateside, current European laws need to be rewritten to accommodate the Segway, he said. Of course, given the notoriously slow pace of EU policy-making bureaucracy, this could take years. In the meantime, Dallatana’s position is that “the Segway is not a vehicle, and therefore it doesn’t need type approval.” He insists that someone on a Segway should legally be considered a pedestrian.
Of course, Segways are already allowed in France and Italy (as we’ve mentioned before) and there’s a company called Paris Segway Tours that offers guided tours around the city using them.
